2026 Subaru Outback
Gas Compact SUV
The 2026 Subaru Outback is sold in the U.S. as a gas compact SUV with 3 EPA-rated configurations. The most efficient version, the Outback AWD, is EPA-rated at 27 mpg combined. NHTSA lists no recall campaigns for this model year so far (Safety Signal A). Owners have filed 14 complaints, most often about unknown or other.
Specs & fuel economy (EPA)
| Configuration | Powertrain | Drive | Engine / motor | City | Hwy | Comb | Annual fuel* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outback AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.5L 4-cyl | 25 | 31 | 27 | $2,300 |
| Outback AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.4L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 29 | 24 | $2,600 |
| Outback Wilderness AWD | Gas | AWD | 2.4L 4-cyl turbo | 21 | 27 | 23 | $2,700 |
*EPA estimate at 15,000 miles/year and EPA reference fuel/electricity prices. Source: fueleconomy.gov vehicle records.
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Recalls (0)
No NHTSA recall campaigns are on file for the 2026 Subaru Outback. New campaigns appear here within a week of NHTSA posting them.
Owner complaints
14 complaints filed
1 involved a crash, 0 a fire, 4 injuries, 0 deaths reported by owners.
Filed by year — 2026: 14
Most-cited components
- Unknown Or Other — 6
- Electrical System — 4
- Seats — 2
- Forward Collision Avoidance — 2
- Vehicle Speed Control — 2
Complaint counts are raw owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many were sold. Use them to spot patterns, not to rank.
Crash ratings
NHTSA has not published 5-Star crash ratings for this model year.
Other Outback model years
2027 Outback
0 recalls · 0 complaints
A2025 Outback
0 recalls · 77 complaints
A2024 Outback
0 recalls · 98 complaints
B2023 Outback
2 recalls · 89 complaints
D2022 Outback
4 recalls · 462 complaints
D2021 Outback
4 recalls · 296 complaints
F2020 Outback
6 recalls · 896 complaints
C2019 Outback
3 recalls · 1,033 complaints
C2018 Outback
3 recalls · 808 complaints
Sources & method
Safety Signal starts every model-year at 100 and subtracts points per open NHTSA recall campaign by severity: critical 15 (fire risk, park-outside or do-not-drive advisories), high 8 (brakes, steering, airbags, loss of drive power, structure, battery), moderate 6, minor 3 (software, labels, lighting fixed by an update). Floor 35. A ≥ 90, B ≥ 80, C ≥ 70, D ≥ 60, otherwise F. Complaint counts and NHTSA crash ratings are shown separately and are not blended into the grade.
EPA figures come from fueleconomy.gov vehicle records (ids 49531, 49533, 49536). Recalls, complaints, investigations and crash ratings come from NHTSA's public flat files, refreshed weekly.